The Golden Hour

51 Replies

Not only is the first and last hours of daylight – the “Golden Hours” – the best for photography, but it is also the best time to be out searching for the big cats in South Africa’s wild places, like this leopard we encountered near Cape Vidal, in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park.

Isimangaliso_Leopard_7038

Isimangaliso_Leopard_7057

“The Golden Hour” is the current weekly photo challenge from WordPress

51 thoughts on “The Golden Hour”

    1. DeWetsWild's avatarde Wets Wild Post author

      Thank you Abigail, and welcome at de Wets Wild!

      Yes, we definitely do count ourselves very lucky to have been put here in this beautiful country!

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  7. ilargia64's avatarilargia64

    The first one is absolutely wonderful!!!
    But I agree with you…Leopards are so beautiful that it is difficult not to show that on a pic…
    Thanks for sharing these pics!!!!

    Reply ↓

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  12. Tish Farrell's avatarTish Farrell

    What glorious, glorious shots. My only good view of a leopard in Kenya was one night, on a drive in the Rift. It had been raining, and the guide with the spotlight raked a grassy ridge, and there was the big face of a leopard above the grass, staring right back us. My only photo then, is the one in my memory.

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    1. DeWetsWild's avatarde Wets Wild Post author

      Thank you so very much Tish!

      Reading your recollection of your leopard sighting on the night drive in Kenya gave me goosebumps of delight – that’s the kind of encounter that makes us head into the bush every chance we get. It’s a thrill you have to experience to understand why it is so addictive!

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      1. Tish Farrell's avatarTish Farrell

        Yes, because you just never know what you’ll see, do you. One night we once saw a porcupine with twin babies scurrying home – which seemed both wonderful and hilarious – all the more marvelous for not being a Big Five moment, though those are always fantastic too.

    1. DeWetsWild's avatarde Wets Wild Post author

      Hi Jean, and thanks for popping by! One doesn’t often find leopards so close, and so out in the open, but when you do it is a moment to treasure!

      Reply ↓

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    1. DeWetsWild's avatarde Wets Wild Post author

      Hi Vonn Scott Bair, and thanks for visiting de Wets Wild!

      At the risk of sounding like I know anything of photography, I used a Canon EOS1100D fitted with a Tamron 70-300mm lens for these photos; the close-up shot was at ISO-500 with f/8 setting at 300mm, the wider view at ISO-100 and f/5 at 135mm.

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    1. DeWetsWild's avatarde Wets Wild Post author

      Thanks for leaving such a lovely comment Yarnwuseleien – it really is heartwarming to hear that people from abroad enjoy visiting the country we are so proud of!

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